WOOL PROFITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18512, 24 March 1922, Page 5

WOOL PROFITS

IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT'S PURCHASE. FARMERS’ UNION CONCERNED. EIGHT MILLIONS INVOLVED (Fn United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 23. Mr W. J. Poison (president) reported io the dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union to-day on what he termed ‘‘The missing wool contract.” In conformity with a resolution passed last meeting, in* executive, he stated, had endeavoured to obtain the necessary information from the Government to enable him to state a case for legal opinion for the guidance of ♦he executive regarding the Imperial wool contract, but he regretted to report that K> far he had been unsuccessful. He had asked for information regarding sales and contracts, the amount of surplus wool sold -6 loss and profit respectively, and whether thfi Government would view favourably the institution of a friendly suit against the Imperial Government to clear up any points in dispute. Mr Poison detailed how he had approached the Government, first through Mr O. d. Hawken, M.P., chairman of the Producers' Wool Committee, and then through ine member for his district, and commented strongly on the delays that bad ' met him at every turn. He said he hod not time to wait cap in hand on the steps . of Parliament House begging information that they should have as a right. He aaked the executive to relieve him from that responsibility, and appoint someone in Wellington to undertake it. He did not suggest \ .that the Government had any object in ; delaying the matter, but he did submit that such procrastination extending over yean lent colour to a suspicion existing in tht minds of many people, that there .was something to conceal Mr W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) said thsf the executive should, in view of the press- ■ dent’s statement, press the Government fee f a frank answer to his questions. It was to -j extraordinary position that the Government would not be frank. It was a matter of ‘ a written contract. The woolgrowers were ■ most closely concerned in it, and they mid -• a right to see the contract. , • ,-i Mr \x, L. Marshall (Marion)* understood ; that the Prime Minister had said that tn y was going to get a legal opinion on the -! matter, and it all depended upon that 1 opinion. The Chairman stated that if the decision .. was in the woolgrowers favour the profits they were entitled to would run into state £8,000,000, which was more than the 1 price 4 of a whole wool clip at present, and r '3i - they got it, it would be a very great thi&g.J tor the producers of the dominion.— (Hear,* near.) Mr J. H. .Toll (Hastings) understood > Mr Massey had stated that English lawyep» i were emphatic that the woolgrowers ha<l reclaim, while New Zealand lawyers tes * just as emphatic .that they had a claim. The president thought there must be -'Tfipt . mistake about that, ne did not fiijnVtlw : Prime Minister had made such a statement. ' Mr \V. G. Leadiey (Ashburton) said thai he had seen a copy of the contract in the" hands of a legal gentleman, who held tfaa . opinion that the whole thing depended'upon whether the imperial Government were the ( purchasers of the surplus wool, or the agents ' tor the sellers. If they were the agents • for the vendor they were responsible,' if not the woolgrowers had no case. Thft | opinion was endorsed bv some of the legal - lights in Wellington. If the Imperial Government were the agents they ought to account to tne woolgrowers for the whole of the proceeds. After further discussion it was resolved that the secretary be instructed to tabs further action on the lines of the chairman’s report, in order to get an answer to tlw ’ questions the chairman had asked.